


Slip of the Tongue

by NamelesslyNightlock



Series: Going Down Swinging [71]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Accidental Love Confessions, Angst, Asgardian Tony Stark, Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Falling In Love, Feels, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Fuckbuddies, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Hugs, Idiots in Love, Loki (Marvel) Feels, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki Gets a Hug (Marvel), Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Non-Graphic Smut, Pining, Prince Loki (Marvel), Rough Kissing, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:41:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25894573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NamelesslyNightlock/pseuds/NamelesslyNightlock
Summary: Anthony and Prince Loki have something of an arrangement. Things are going well, with nothing but pleasure between them—Until Anthony does the stupid thing, and falls in love. From there, it’s only pain.
Relationships: Loki/Tony Stark
Series: Going Down Swinging [71]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1330490
Comments: 38
Kudos: 459





	Slip of the Tongue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [STARSdidathing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/STARSdidathing/gifts).



> **STARSdidathing** wanted to see something where being the prince's lover is a prestigious position on Asgard– and Loki thinks Tony is only there for the status, while Tony thinks Loki is only there for the sex, and they are both idiots. I hope you like it!  
>   
>  **Prompt** — _“I’ve got you.”_

Anthony really _should_ be happy with his lot in life.

He had everything that anyone could ever want. He was one of the wealthiest men in Asgard, and held a lordship that he had inherited from his father– which meant he had a high position and influence in the court. He wanted for _almost_ nothing, and – most enviably of all – he was the lover of one of the princes.

To be a prince’s lover held status in Asgard, for it was more than a mere statement of how desirable a person was. It granted prestige and _honour_ , and it was a position which was coveted by all.

If a prince were to approach someone in the court, there was no pressure to say yes– Anthony knew of one or two who had refused Thor and not suffered any detriment to status nor pride for it. But very few ever did refuse, so desired was the position of being a prince’s lover.

So when Prince Loki had approached Anthony with his request, cornering him during a feast with warm lips brushing over the shell of his ear and a hand sliding down Anthony’s chest, Anthony had responded with hardly a second’s thought. He had something of a reputation – or at least, he used to – and he hadn’t expected that it would last longer than a single night.

But what had followed was one of the best nights of Anthony’s _life._ Prince Loki was not what Anthony had expected– from what he’d heard of the ladies who had been invited into Prince Thor’s bed, it was common that they would give more than they received. But Loki seemed to find pleasure in fulfilling _Anthony’s_ every desire, in working him almost right to the edge and then holding back, prolonging every second until Anthony could barely do any more than writhe under the prince’s attentions before coming undone with a euphoria that Anthony severely doubted could ever be matched.

Anthony felt like he had hardly done a thing, and once he regained his senses he was just about to roll onto his side to offer to return the favour. But then he saw that Loki was simply lying beside him, propped up on one elbow and wearing a smile of complete contentment, even though his own erection remained red and straining. And rather than asking Anthony for anything, when Loki saw that his eyes were open he simply leaned forward and pulled Anthony into a slow and sensual kiss.

Anthony stayed in Loki’s bed all the way through the night, the sounds of their pleasure singing them though more orgasms than Anthony cared to count. And when they were both so completely spent that it was all they could do to lay entangled on the mattress, hands stroking over heated skin and breaths slowing down as they relaxed, Prince Loki asked Anthony if he would be willing to return again.

And, _willing?_ After that experience, Anthony would have tripped over his feet in his rush to get back into Loki’s bed—

But even then, he hadn’t expected it to last. Prince Loki, after all, could have anyone that he wanted, as many _times_ as he wanted. There was no reason for him to continue asking Anthony.

So Anthony just did all that he could to keep Loki wanting more, to ensure that his prince was as satisfied as possible at the end of every night they spent together– because Anthony didn’t want their arrangement to come to an end.

And it _was_ just an arrangement, nothing more than an agreement between them to share nights of physical pleasure. Anthony would spend a night in Loki’s bed and then return to his own in the morning, to the quarters in the palace that Loki arranged for him to have after their third month of frequent trysts, so that he would be close by whenever Loki called for him.

Outside of Loki’s rooms, outside the cover of night, they were not _together._ Of course, sometimes, Loki would approach Anthony the corridors and press their bodies close, drawing him into a kiss that would leave them both lightheaded and retreating to Loki’s rooms. Sometimes, they would end up leaning together during a feast, exchanging kisses and drawing the gaze of everyone in the room.

But the kisses weren’t affectionate, they were for the provocation and satiation of desires. And… after months and _years_ of being Prince Loki’s lover, Anthony began to find that he didn’t _want_ to be put on show. He didn’t care about status or position or honour, not anymore. He no longer even stayed for the intense pleasure Loki wrought over his body, not with the same kind of anticipation as he once had. Because while Anthony still yearned for Loki… he also yearned for something _else._

He would spend every single night with Loki if he could– but he wished to spend that time lying in Loki’s arms, listening to his laugh, feeling his fingers trace over his skin.

Because over those years of an arrangement that meant _nothing_ , Anthony had gone and done the stupid thing. He’d _fallen in love_. And that?

Well.

That brought him more pain than anyone else could ever possibly imagine.

Because Anthony was greedy, and he wanted _more_. He wanted to be in Loki’s heart, not just his bed– he wanted to be the only person who could share intimate moments with the prince, the only one who _ever_ would. He craved not just physical desire but real _emotion,_ even though he knew that was something that he could never have.

And that… _that_ was what had Anthony so unhappy, so unable to look at everything he’d achieved and _smile_.

So, yeah.

Maybe he should be happy, maybe he had it better than anyone else, but…

It hurt to know that he would do absolutely anything for Loki, anything at all, while Loki saw Anthony as merely something to be called upon whenever he had a certain itch that needed to be scratched. Still, Anthony would never _stop_ – because he loved Loki too much, and he wasn’t _strong_ enough to tear himself away entirely.

Which meant that he was always left waiting, feeling like he was living from one night with Loki to the next.

Anthony was in his rooms when the note arrived the same way as always, a single piece of parchment appearing before him in a bright flash of Loki’s green seiðr. He smiled when he saw it, because even when being with Loki hurt, he would always choose that over not being with him at all. Every moment with Loki left an ache in his heart, but every moment _away_ from him hurt more.

He allowed himself to trace over the shape of the parchment, imagining the way that Loki’s thin fingers must have pressed against it to make that perfect fold.

Then he opened it to read the words– and he paused.

The words themselves were hardly different to what Anthony had come to expect, a simple request for his presence in Loki’s rooms. But… the lines of the letters were slightly sharper than usual, as well as thicker and darker, as if Loki had pressed too hard with the quill.

Frowning, Anthony shoved the parchment into the pocket of his coat and hurried out right away, wasting no time in heading from his own quarters and toward Loki’s.

He threw the door open with ease, the magical locks tailored to allow him in without pause, and then as he stepped into the room his haste melted into caution.

“My prince?” Anthony called, glancing around—

And then Loki swept across the room in a few quick steps and seized Anthony by the lapels of his coat, crashing their lips together in a truly violent kiss. Anthony moaned with the force of it, already clutching Loki tight against him, kissing him back with all he was worth. Loki’s hands were everywhere, raking through Anthony’s hair and then down his back before pulling over his hips to begin tugging at the laces of Anthony’s trousers. Anthony gasped and bucked into his hands, and Loki’s teeth scraped over Anthony’s lips in a warning.

It was only then, as Anthony pulled away slightly to try and regain some of his swiftly stolen control that he realised– the desperation to Loki’s movements held a certain kind of edge. His kisses were violent but did not hold as much passion as they usually did, and the frustration in his hands as he pulled at the knots in Anthony’s trousers was not _impatience_.

Anthony had seen Loki impatient– if that was the case, he would have whisked away Anthony’s clothes with a wave of his hand. No, this was something else—

“Loki?” Anthony asked, using the prince’s name as he was only allowed when they were entirely alone. And his voice was hoarse with unsated desire but– that need paled in comparison to the strain that Loki was obviously feeling. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Loki replied, leaning forward to kiss Anthony again– and then when he still struggled with the laces, which was really not like him, Loki broke the kiss with a growl and turned his hand to cup Anthony’s erection through his pants instead.

It was clear that he was obviously planning on sinking to his knees, right there by the doorway, but—

“No,” Anthony said, catching Loki’s hands and holding them in his own– and he waited until Loki looked up to meet his gaze once more before continuing. “You don’t really want to do this, do you?” he asked

Loki averted his gaze at that, but he did not deny it. And… Anthony’s gaze widened. He hadn’t been _sure_ , he had just, had a feeling– but that didn’t make any sense, did it? Because, if Loki didn’t want to have sex, then why had he summoned Anthony?

Well, unless, perhaps…

His movements far more hesitant than they had ever been with Loki before, Anthony slowly let go of Loki’s hands and wrapped his arms around Loki’s shoulders.

The sound that Loki made was like nothing that Anthony had heard from him before– a low kind of whine, as if he had been trying to hold himself together and was only just now falling apart. And as Loki fell into Anthony’s arms, burying into his shoulder, Anthony found himself _aching_. Because Loki… just needed a hug, and he’d called _Anthony_ , because he thought… what? That sex was the closest he was going to be able to get?

That was the only way that Anthony could rationalise Loki’s actions in his head, but fuck did it _hurt._ Did Loki really think that Anthony wouldn’t be willing to offer _comfort_ unless they had sex first?

But… well _,_ of course he did. Because they had an arrangement, didn’t they? An arrangement that went both ways. They were a warm body to each other, and they weren’t _meant_ to be anything more. Loki wouldn’t have expected that Anthony would be more than happy to simply _hug_ him because Loki didn’t know exactly how much Anthony cared. Even the softer moments that they had shared, every moment of laughter or conversation– every single one had occurred _after_ they had slept together.

Loki didn’t, _couldn’t_ ever know that Anthony yearned to just cuddle under the covers. Because if he found out… then everything would come to an end.

So Loki had acted the only way he thought would make it happen, had tried to give Anthony an orgasm so then– well, so that the cuddles would be acceptable?

It did more than make Anthony’s head hurt– it made his heart _ache_.

Moving slowly, Anthony helped to guide Loki over to the bed, and then they cuddled together on top of the covers with Loki tucked under Anthony’s chin, all but sitting on his lap as he pressed as close as he could.

And in all of the years that Anthony had been Loki’s lover… this was the first time that they had curled up together while fully clothed. Oh, there were of course the moments when they had been too eager to bother with disrobing entirely, but whenever they were lying like this, Loki always seemed to prefer as much of their skin to be bare as possible. But now… he was clutching Anthony’s clothes– and he was actually trembling.

“Shh,” Anthony whispered, stroking Loki’s hair. “You’re all right. I’ve got you.”

Loki whimpered, curling in closer, fingers bunching tighter in Anthony’s shirt. And Anthony– he just held on tighter.

He didn’t know what had brought this on, but it could have been anything. Loki had to put up with so much from the Aesir who thought that he didn’t fit the bill of a _proper_ prince, and Anthony wouldn’t have been surprised if he had simply finally _snapped_ under all of the pressure that had been building up for so long.

So Anthony just held him, whispering words of comfort.

“You’re all right, I’m here,” he promised, over and over as Loki slowly began to calm and relax. “Whatever it is, Loki, you’re going to get through it, I know you are. You’re strong, and this isn’t going to break you. You’re safe, and you’re loved, and I am never going to let you go—”

Anthony was cut off as Loki suddenly tensed, pulling back and staring at Anthony with eyes that were wide with shock.

It took Anthony a moment to realise what he had said, but when he did—

Oh, _fuck._

“Uh.”

“Why did you say that?” Loki asked, hurt shining in the green of his eyes—

“I’m sorry,” Anthony said quickly. “I know that I shouldn’t—”

“Is this _pity?”_ Loki almost spat the word, pulling back even further– his face pale and blotchy, a result of whatever had upset him before mixing with his… his _anger_ at hearing Anthony’s slip.

“It’s not pity,” Anthony said immediately– because even if hiding the truth might be better for _him_ , he refused to let Loki think he would say such a thing just for that—

“Then what?” Loki snapped. “Are you _mocking_ me—”

“I would never,” Anthony snapped, his heart hammering and shattering and _hurting_ but he, but if there was any way that he could make it so that Loki at least realised that Anthony _did_ care, and that maybe he could convince Loki that they could still be together– “Listen, I _shouldn’t_ have said it, but that doesn’t mean—”

“Yes, because you could never feel that way for me—”

“—it’s not proper, but it’s not something that I can help. But I promise I can keep it hidden, you don’t have to even—”

“—I have never expected anything more from you than you are willing to give, Anthony, and—”

“Know that I’d give you _everything_ , because even though—”

“—it was wrong of me, to ask you to be with me when I didn’t tell you the truth, when you didn’t _know_ that my reason—”

“—I know that I’m not supposed to _feel_ this way, that you could never love me the way that I—”

“—because I have always loved you.”

Anthony’s words suddenly died on his tongue, his mouth feeling suddenly dry.

“ _What?”_ he whispered—

But Loki didn’t seem like he heard the question. “Anthony,” he said, his voice harsh and halting, as if he was struggling to get the words out. “Say that again.”

To be honest, Anthony couldn’t even really process what Loki was saying, let alone do what he asked. “You just… did you…”

Loki reached up, and cupped Anthony’s face between both of his hands. “Did you say that you love me?” he asked.

Anthony swallowed. “Did _you?”_

Loki’s lips parted, but he didn’t make a sound. Then, after a few moments—

He jerked his head in what was unmistakably a nod.

Anthony’s eyes widened. “Oh,” he said. “ _Oh—”_

“Anthony?” Loki asked, his hands trembling again as they shifted so that Loki’s fingers threaded through his Anthony’s hair instead. “Say something?”

Anthony breathed out a laugh, and then he leaned forward to press his forehead to Loki’s.

“Loki,” he said, the word bleeding with so much more emotion than two simple syllables should allow. “I love you too.”

The grin that split across Loki’s face was blinding, and Anthony wasted no time in leaning forward to draw Loki into a kiss. It was a sweet kiss, far sweeter than any they had shared in the past– a kiss that wasn’t meant to excite, or to arouse, but rather was intended to simply share the emotions that swirled between them.

It was exactly the kind of kiss that Anthony had yearned to have for so very long, and when they broke apart, he couldn’t keep the smile away from his lips.

“I thought that this was something you would never allow,” Loki breathed. “Spending time with you in my bed… I adore it, but it’s never been enough. Too painful to bear, and yet—”

“Better than nothing,” Anthony finished. Then he reached up to stroke Loki’s cheek, smiling wider when Loki leaned into his touch as if by instinct. “Loki, being with you is everything that I want.”

“It’s everything that I want, as well,” Loki replied. “Anthony… I love you, and I want to spend every moment with you that I can. When I was upset today… you were the only person I wanted to see. And I am sorry for the way that I acted—”

“Don’t ever apologise for that,” Anthony cut in, though his voice was gentle. “I’m sorry for making you think that you couldn’t seek comfort from me. If you ever need anything, Loki, I’m here for you.”

Loki leaned in again then, his lips soft against Anthony’s as he kissed him chastely. And when he pulled back, Anthony noted that the previous sadness had entirely melted away. Anthony would make sure to ask about it again later, but for now… they were both content.

And when Loki smiled, it was like the sun cutting bright across an open field. “Anthony… you accepted my requests to be my lover,” he said. “But… I would like to court you properly. If you would allow me… I would have the whole realm know that I love you, and that I intend for us to be _together.”_

As he gave his answer, Anthony’s heart was racing once more– but this time, it raced with pure joy. “I want nothing more.”

And as they curled back together on the bed, exchanging sweet kisses that didn’t need to be anything other than a simple statement of their affection for one another…

Anthony found himself thinking that, actually? He had to have pulled the best lot in life of them all.

**Author's Note:**

> Before any of you ask me what Loki was upset about– you can use your imagination. Maybe Odin yelled at him. Maybe Thor fell off the Bifröst. Maybe Frigga told him he was about to be put into an arranged marriage. Maybe he dropped his favourite book into the bath. Who knows? I certainly don’t.


End file.
